‘Casino’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey
January 25, 2022 · Casino (1995) · Crime · Drama · 2:04:56 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes: Ace explaining how Vegas works (the count room scene), Ichikawa gambling scenes with the whale psychology, Sharon Stone's first scene throwing chips, and Ace spotting card counters▶ 35:54
Sean FennesseyAce spots the card counters - calls it 'one of the single greatest sequences in his entire career'▶ 41:11
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsJames Woods' performance as Jimmy - describes it as the best fictional scumbag he played and discusses Woods' career arc through the 80s and 90s▶ 1:23:53
Chris RyanInitially jokes about the age of the hitman, but ultimately agrees that James Woods aged the best while also crediting Sharon Stone▶ 1:21:17
Sean FennesseyAce's mid-century modern desert house - appreciates the kitschy 70s decor and cool suburban architecture▶ 1:18:36
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsSharon Stone — Sharon Stone was the right choice over Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Melanie Griffith, and Tracey Lords▶ 1:27:36
Chris RyanScarlett Johansson — Skeptical of Scarlett Johansson as an alternative, saying he's never seen her as unhinged as Ginger requires▶ 1:30:40
Sean FennesseyTraci Lords — Defends Tracey Lords as a viable option, noting she can act and has had a 30-year career, and that her life experience would suit the Ginger character▶ 1:28:31
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsL.Q. Jones — Discussed LQ Jones as Pat Webb as an example of 'that guy' actor but noted he never knew his name despite always recognizing him▶ 1:32:04
Chris RyanNick Mazzola — Nick Mazzola (the blackjack dealer) and John Menko (Nicky Eyes from Goodfellas)▶ 1:33:30
Sean FennesseyL.Q. Jones — Explained that LQ Jones is too important/famous to be considered 'that guy' since he appeared in major Peckinpah westerns, but acknowledged the perspective▶ 1:32:11
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsAce's house from the movie was bought by Suge Knight in 1996, located in Vegas where Tupac died shortly after▶ 1:44:09
Bill SimmonsReal-life Lefty Rosenthal moved to California then Florida, worked as nightclub manager, ran online betting site, died in 2008 at age 79▶ 1:44:43
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsRobert De Niro — De Niro - no (despite Heat and Casino within three weeks), believes Raging Bull is likely his apex but it's not rewatchable; Pesci - agrees it's Goodfellas; Kevin Pollack - yes for Casino; 1981 Cadillac Eldorado - yes; various other categories discussed▶ 1:45:28
Sean FennesseyJoe Pesci — De Niro - believes it's Raging Bull; Pesci - definitively says Goodfellas into My Cousin Vinny, agrees this is end of Pesci's leading movie run; Kevin Pollack - agrees it's his apex mountain▶ 1:45:44
Who Won the Movie
Sean FennesseySharon Stone — Initially agreed with Sharon Stone but argued that Martin Scorsese could also win, though ultimately seemed to concede Sharon Stone▶ 1:57:09
Movies Referenced (65)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodfellas (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 23 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 4:22 |
| Basic Instinct (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:00:18 |
| Dead Man Walking (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 23:07 |
| The Irishman (2019) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 17:29 |
| Boogie Nights (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 6:14 |
| Cape Fear (1991) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 25:50 |
| Jackie Brown (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 18:02 |
| Leaving Las Vegas (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 23:09 |
| Palm Springs (2020) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:18:51 |
| Raging Bull (1980) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:45:44 |
| Total Recall (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:03:56 |
| Toy Story (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:11 |
Directors Referenced (12)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Scorsese | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 43 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets | ▶ 2:33 |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 19:23 |
| Sidney Lumet | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | 12 Angry Men | ▶ 1:05:21 |
| Anson Jew | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Wonder Woman | ▶ 17:10 |
| David Fincher | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | Se7en, Gone Girl, Zodiac | ▶ 11:42 |
| Mike Figgis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Leaving Las Vegas | ▶ 23:09 |
| Chris Noonan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 23:03 | |
| Michael Radford | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 23:11 | |
| Tony Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Unstoppable, True Romance | ▶ 12:58 |
| Brit Manor | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 2:00:25 | |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 1:32:49 |
| Sam Peckinpah | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:32:16 |
Actors Referenced (80)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert De Niro | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 41 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver | ▶ 2:33 |
| Joe Pesci | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 32 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Irishman | ▶ 2:33 |
| Sharon Stone | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 29 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Basic Instinct, Casino, The Quick and the Dead | ▶ 2:33 |
| Don Rickles | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 19 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Casino, Toy Story | ▶ 38:31 |
| James Woods | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 14 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Hercules, The Virgin Suicides | ▶ 44:40 |
| Jimmy Woods | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:26 | |
| Oscar Goodman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Casino | ▶ 10:27 |
| Frank Vincent | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Goodfellas, Casino | ▶ 12:40 |
| Alan King | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Casino, Rush Hour 2 | ▶ 21:47 |
| Jeff Bridges | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Big Lebowski, True Grit | ▶ 1:22:43 |
| John Barrymore | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 10:55 | |
| Kansas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Pitch Perfect | ▶ 50:59 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Dinner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:46:55 | |
| Brian Koppelman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Runaway Jury, Michael Clayton | ▶ 2:03:30 |
| George Lucas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, American Graffiti | ▶ 1:25:55 |
| Taylor Sheridan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Hell or High Water, Wind River | ▶ 1:53:15 |
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The Other Guys | ▶ 34:21 |
| Sam Naiman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 53:12 |